Quote Originally Posted by Pelopidas
The USA were a democracy since the beginning... segregationnist, but a democracy anyway.
As long as all the representative and all the power depends on election, we have a democratic system.

The Lords are designed by the king, the US Senators are elected, and haven't a chamber who could reject any law without even being elected by the people.
That was the case of UK at this time.

The power of the Lower Chamber is far more recent, exactly as the power of the Reichstag, in fact.
You are right to some degree but I think you misunderstand the fundemental nature of the british system.

without a written constitution it could be argued that we still arent a democratic country still. for example I believe for example that the Queen still legally has the power to appoint whoever she likes as prime minister, this would never happen because it is would be unaceptable, but leaggally it could. democracy in britain is not really safeguarded by law, but rather by conventions. similarly britain in the 18 and 19th century was effectively democratic, the house of commons has always been the most important body whatever technical powers the lords may have had.